CHRISTMAS HAS come early to hundreds of workers in the Ohio Valley.

The holiday cheer came in the form of a resurgence at the Ormet Corp. in Monroe County. The aluminum plant announced last week that it will soon be restarting two potlines.

Such a move means that 100 more jobs will be added to the Hannibal-based facility. Better news could not have been delivered to the area’s work force and economic-stressed Monroe County.

The hiring news takes on an even brighter glow when the plant’s fate was uncertain at best. Rumors were abounding that Ormet may be facing a shutdown of uncertain length unless the company secured supplies to keep four of the six potlines operating.

Now uncertainty and concern have morphed into optimism.

While Ormet is not the monster operation of decades past, it still employs some 800 union workers and many more in management positions. Such numbers mean a great deal to the local employment picture.

Ormet’s well-being is vital to Monroe County and the Switzerland of Ohio School District. The healthier plant, the healthier the county’s and school district’s budgets will be.

The 100 jobs will be filled by the recall of laid-off workers and the hiring of some new employees. While 100 jobs may do little to reduce the county’s staggering-high 13 percent unemployment rate, it is a definite step in the right direction.

The firing up of two idle potlines comes on the heels of additional good news.

Ormet realized a $5.2 million profit in the second quarter of this year, some $4.8 million more than the first quarter.

We hope that Ormet’s recent run of success is a harbinger of better times not only for the company but for the entire Ohio Valley economic landscape.